10141989STAR - Spherical Transferred Arc Directed Energy Deposition for AerospaceActiveLegacy Department of Trade & IndustryInnovate UKAdditive manufacturing (AM) is increasingly seen as a pivotal technology for the future of the aerospace industry due to its unique capabilities and advantages over traditional manufacturing methods, such as forging and casting. Metallic AM offers several advantages over such methods, in the form of additional design complexity, weight reduction, material efficiency, rapid manufacture, the option of repair and sustainability benefits as forming temperatures are only required at a local scale. The problems with large-scale AM systems are twofold: 1. The cost of implementation is £1.5M+, similar to the price of a 5-axis CNC machining centre. 2. The material properties of large-scale AM components have not been qualified for aerospace. These combined issues make it impossible for an SME to justify the cost of implementation, considering the risk. STAR brings together entirely novel technology, world-leading research and expert technology integration within the aerospace supply chain to solve both these issues simultaneously. Throughout the course of this project, a method of wire-fed direct energy deposition (DED) will be taken from TRL3 to TRL6 which involves depositing aerospace grade materials, such as titanium and inconel 718, using a series of spherical droplets. Linear deposition is the industry standard and by replacing this with spherical deposition, the resulting components have significantly less distortion, build up at corners and intersections, and deformation due to overheating. Through the use of unique gas shielding technology, STAR is able to deliver this deposition method without the requirement of an argon chamber. This, combined with a cartesian-based gantry design reduces cost significantly in comparison to existing comparative solutions, to within the range of £300K. Hence, the success of STAR results in a viable solution for SMEs being made available; one which is specifically qualified for aerospace components. The STAR team consists of: * Advanced Manufacturing (Sheffield) Ltd. (AML) - A research-led, world class supplier of geometrically complex metallic aerospace components made from exotic materials. * Forg3D Ltd. (FGD) - A revolutionary start-up that has taken the technology from concept to TRL3\. * The University of Sheffield's Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) - a world-leading research organisation with a plethora of knowledge and experience in all things manufacturing, including material characterisation and testing. In summary, the aim of STAR is to make large-scale AM accessible to SMEs and solidify its position as a viable process for aerospace manufacturers across the UK.